Taliban Allegedly Sets Ablaze Residence Of Former Afghan MP In Kabul

Reliable sources have reported to Afghanistan International that the Taliban set fire to the house of Shakila Hashemi, a former member of the Lower House of the Afghan Parliament, located in Kabul.

The property, situated on Street 17 of the Wazir Muhammad Akbar Khan area, lies in close proximity to the location where Ayman al-Zawahiri, the al-Qaeda leader, was killed in July 2022. The Pentagon previously confirmed the killing of the al-Qaeda leader in a guest house owned by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban's interior minister, in the same area.

Sources revealed that since the Taliban's takeover of Kabul in August 2021, Shakila Hashemi faced persistent pressure from the Taliban to sell this house. Despite these demands, Hashemi has remained steadfast in her refusal.

Over the past two years, the Taliban have reportedly imposed severe restrictions on the occupants of Hashemi's house, including prohibiting access to the roof and upper floors of the building. Following Hashemi's continued resistance to selling the property, it is reported that the Taliban resorted to setting the house on fire on Thursday.

Video footage obtained by Afghanistan International shows the building after the fire had been extinguished. It was also mentioned that Shakila Hashemi owns another house in Kabul, which has allegedly been seized by the Taliban.

As of now, the Taliban have not issued any statement regarding this incident.

Shakila Hashemi is a political figure, having served as a representative for Logar Province in the 15th and 16th terms of the Afghan House of Representatives. In her last term, she was a member of the National Economy Commission.